<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-ryan-helsley-signing-may-have-changed-everything');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles’ Ryan Helsley signing may have just changed everything');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Ryan-Helsley_c901ba.jpg"><figcaption>William Purnell-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Orioles’ Ryan Helsley signing may have just changed everything</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-29T14:16:31-08:00">November 29th, 2:16pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-29T14:49:31-08:00">November 29th, 2:49pm</time><address><a>Mike Gianakos</a>Mike Gianakos is a veteran editor and writer for print and digital media. He also created and oversaw video and event production departments for legacy media brands. Mike is a longtime podcaster and even longer suffering NY Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Baltimore Orioles played out a lost season in 2025. The team went 75-87, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-biggest-disappointment-after-missing-mlb-playoffs">missing the playoffs</a> and finishing with the fourth-worst record in the American League. But Baltimore isn’t very far removed from success. Before last season’s letdown, the Orioles made back-to-back playoff appearances and even topped the AL with 101 wins in 2023.</p><p>Baltimore is focused on bouncing back in 2026. And the team’s bullpen could help lead the charge. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-ryan-helsley-28-million-contract-free-agency">Orioles signed Ryan Helsley</a> to a two-year, $28 million deal in free agency. The 2024 NL Reliever of the Year will take over closing duties in Baltimore.</p><p>The Helsley addition was necessary with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-felix-bautista-out-year-shoulder-surgery">Felix Bautista expected to miss the 2026 campaign</a>. The Orioles’ All-Star closer underwent surgery in August to fix a torn labrum and rotator cuff. He’s expected to be sidelined for at least a year.</p><h2><b>Orioles commit to 2026 turnaround with bullpen additions</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Andrew-Kittredge_12e996.jpg"><figcaption>Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While Baltimore could have been content to take a piecemeal approach with the closer role during Bautista’s injury absence, the team will instead turn to Helsley. The seventh-year veteran is just a season removed from leading the majors with 49 saves and finishing ninth in NL Cy Young voting.</p><p>While Helsley struggled after a midseason trade to the New York Mets last year, he represents a significant upgrade over any in-house replacement Baltimore had for Bautista. Despite a brutal two-month stretch with the Mets, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-stories/mlb-news-ryan-helsley-fix-15-team-chase-mets-disaster">Helsley drew significant interest in free agency</a>. Teams believe the issues that cropped up during his time in New York are fixable and anticipate a return to form.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-stories/cubs-news-chicago-sends-andrew-kittredge-orioles-midseason-trade">Orioles also acquired Andrew Kittredge</a> in a trade with the Chicago Cubs this offseason. Baltimore got the veteran reliever back just three months after shipping him to Chicago at the trade deadline.</p><p>Helsley and Kittredge will join promising righty Kade Strowd and veteran lefty Keegan Akin in Baltimore’s bullpen. Strowd is coming off a successful rookie season and Akin showed his potential in 2024 with a 0.94 WHIP and 97 strikeouts in 78.2 innings.</p><p>There’s clearly still work to be done for a rebound in 2026. But the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-land-angels-taylor-ward-grayson-rodriguez-trade">Orioles already added Taylor Ward</a> in a trade with the Angels. And Baltimore has come up in conversations around baseball’s top free agents.</p><p>The team’s moves this winter will ultimately determine if a quick turnaround is possible. But, while relief pitching had been a major concern entering the offseason, Baltimore’s bullpen has suddenly become a bright spot for the club.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles’ Ryan Helsley signing may have just changed everything

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-ryan-helsley-28-million-contract-free-agency');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles, Ryan Helsley agree to $28 million contract in free agency');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/%F0%9F%9A%A8-%F0%9F%94%94-Orioles-news-Baltimore-Ryan-Helsley-agree-to-28-million-contract-in-free-agency.jpg"></figure><h1>Orioles, Ryan Helsley agree to $28 million contract in free agency</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-29T13:01:21-08:00">November 29th, 1:01pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-29T13:18:38-08:00">November 29th, 1:18pm</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Baltimore Orioles have their closer.</p><p>With <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-felix-bautista-out-year-shoulder-surgery">Felix Bautista expected to miss potentially all of the 2026 season</a>, the O’s <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1994863699903860926" rel="noopener">reportedly agreed</a> to a two-year contract with reliever Ryan Helsley on Saturday, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. Katie Woo of The Athletic later reported that Helsley’s deal is <a href="https://x.com/katiejwoo/status/1994866015524852169" rel="noopener">worth $28 million</a> and includes an opt-out following the first year.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-stories/mlb-news-ryan-helsley-fix-15-team-chase-mets-disaster">Helsley was expected to be a popular option</a> in MLB free agency. The 31-year-old spent the 2025 season with the St. Louis Cardinals before getting moved to the New York Mets. After finding success in St. Louis, Helsley took a step in the wrong direction and endured a disastrous tenure in New York.</p><p>The pitcher is confident he can bounce back in 2026, however. He also has a proven track record, having pitched to a career 2.96 ERA since 2019.</p><p>The Orioles’ bullpen could be the key to helping the ball club get back on track during the ’26 campaign following a forgettable 2025 season. After entering the year with high expectations, the O’s stumbled to a 75-87 record — placing them in last place in the competitive American League East standings.</p><p>Bullpen stability is pivotal, though. Bautista’s absence is far from ideal, but Helsley could end up playing an especially impactful role for an Orioles team that wants to rebound as soon as possible.</p><p>Baltimore will still be a team to watch this offseason. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-land-angels-taylor-ward-grayson-rodriguez-trade">Orioles already acquired outfielder Taylor Ward</a> via a trade with the Los Angeles Angels in addition to the Helsley signing, but they may have more moves up their sleeve.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles, Ryan Helsley agree to $28 million contract in free agency

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-rumors-baltimore-lineup-boost-tatsuya-imai');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles rumors: Baltimore could boost rotation with Tatsuya Imai signing');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Orioles-rumor-Baltimore-could-boost-rotation-with-Tatsuya-Imai-signing.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Orioles rumors: Baltimore could boost rotation with Tatsuya Imai signing</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-27T11:15:54-08:00">November 27th, 11:15am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-28T12:01:02-08:00">November 28th, 12:01pm</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/orioles-showing-interest-in-kyle-schwarber-tatsuya-imai-framber-valdez.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=bluesky">Baltimore Orioles continue to explore every edge of the pitching market</a> as they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-felix-bautista-baltimore-agree-new-contract">search for rotation help in MLB Free Agency</a>. Among the options on their board is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-stories/4-perfect-mlb-landing-destinations-for-tatsuya-imai-after-getting-posted">Tatsuya Imai, a rising talent whose posting process has sparked league-wide curiosity about his MLB fit</a>. The Orioles <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/11/orioles-showing-interest-in-kyle-schwarber-tatsuya-imai-framber-valdez.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=bluesky" rel="noopener">see opportunity here</a>, and the timing feels right for a move that strengthens a staff still carrying postseason scars.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/mlb-rumors-orioles-most-aggressive-team-pitching-offseason">The Orioles have been aggressive in conversations this winter</a>. They’ve checked in on multiple arms, tracked every shift in the free-agent landscape, and made it clear they won’t let their competitive window dim. That urgency comes from experience. Last season’s rotation showed flashes but lacked the consistency needed to survive long stretches or withstand playoff pressure. The front office has studied that reality closely.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-stories/mlb-rumors-tatsuya-imai-chasing-154-m-pitch">Tatsuya Imai offers a different kind of spark</a>. He carries a strong track record overseas, a reliable workload, and a calm presence that fits the Orioles’ clubhouse culture. Scouts note his fastball life, his comfort attacking hitters inside, and his ability to adapt when the stage brightens. He isn’t a headline-chasing luxury. He’s the kind of arm that stabilizes the middle of a rotation and helps a contender breathe easier in August and September.</p><h2>How a signing reshapes the Orioles’ plans</h2><p>A move like this adds flexibility everywhere. For starters, it buys development time for younger pitchers. It also relieves pressure on the top of the rotation. And in addition, it gives the Orioles a stronger matchup profile against AL rivals loading up through heavy spending.</p><p>But it signals something larger, too. At their core, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/1-free-agent-orioles-must-pursue-offseason">the Orioles aren’t chasing noise. They’re chasing completeness</a>. The front office wants a rotation that can survive slumps and silence rallies. It also wants a staff that can carry the team under stadium lights deep into October. And in a winter shaped by MLB Free Agency, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-news-tatsuya-imai-ken-rosenthal-favorite-player">the posting buzz around Tatsuya Imai fits that puzzle</a> without pushing the club into risky contract territory.</p><p>So now the question shifts back to Camden Yards. If the Orioles take this swing, how much higher does their ceiling rise next season?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles rumors: Baltimore could boost rotation with Tatsuya Imai signing

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-rumors-cease-pressure-starting-pitching');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles rumors: Dylan Cease Blue Jays deal add pressure to land starting pitching');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Baltimore-Orioles.jpg"><figcaption>James A. Pittman-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Orioles rumors: Dylan Cease Blue Jays deal add pressure to land starting pitching</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-26T19:02:33-08:00">November 26th, 7:02pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-26T19:02:33-08:00">November 26th, 7:02pm</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Baltimore Orioles enter a critical stage of the 2025 MLB offseason, and the pressure is rising after major shifts in the starting pitching market. With Dylan Cease signing a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Sonny Gray trade strengthening the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore faces mounting urgency to add a frontline arm. Each move intensifies the AL East arms race, placing the club in a position where decisive action is no longer optional.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-land-angels-taylor-ward-grayson-rodriguez-trade">The Orioles traded starter Grayson Rodriguez</a> earlier in the offseason, hoping added offense would offset the loss in the rotation. But with rivals adding proven arms, the Orioles must reassess their approach as their current group leans heavily on upside rather than reliability. The pressure is magnified by a rotation packed with talent but short on established durability, and the club now risks falling behind as available top-end options continue to shrink.</p><p>The team at MLB.com spoke with MLB’s Mark Feinsand <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/dylan-cease-blue-jays-deal-impact-on-pitching-market?lctg=18937821&amp;p=0&amp;partnerId=it-20251126-15846372-mlb-1-B&amp;utm_id=it-20251126-15846372-mlb-1-B" rel="noopener">about how</a> the recent moves by division rivals have intensified the urgency for Baltimore to secure a starter. Feinsand broke down the significance of the shift and why the club may need to act soon.</p><p>“The Orioles probably need a starting pitcher as much as any other team in baseball, and after watching the Blue Jays sign Cease and the Red Sox trade for Sonny Gray, Baltimore’s urgency has to be a little greater with two of their division rivals bulking up their rotations.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/toronto-blue-jays/dylan-cease-blue-jays-grades-for-monster-210-million-contract">Cease landing in Toronto</a> removes a top-tier arm from the market already, while Gray joining the Red Sox eliminates a durable veteran who could have stabilized any rotation.The O’s still have financial space and one of the sport’s best prospect groups, giving them multiple pathways to pursue an impact starter before the market thins further.</p><p>The club now sits at a crossroads, where a bold addition may be required to remain competitive. With rivals improving quickly, this moment shapes up as one the Orioles cannot afford to let pass.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles rumors: Dylan Cease Blue Jays deal add pressure to land starting pitching

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-hires-ex-padres-manager-mike-shildt-in-surprising-role');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles hire ex-Padres manager Mike Shildt in surprising role');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Baltimore-hires-ex-Padres-manager-Mike-Shildt-in-surprising-role.jpg"><figcaption>Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Orioles hire ex-Padres manager Mike Shildt in surprising role</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-26T10:57:06-08:00">November 26th, 10:57am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-26T10:57:06-08:00">November 26th, 10:57am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/chris.spiering.3" rel="facebook">Chris Spiering</a>Chris Spiering graduated from the University of San Diego with a Communication Studies Degree. He spent his final year as the Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris used to manage the betting team at ClutchPoints and now contributes about the NFL, MLB, NCAA Sports, and NBA, but he follows most sports, including NCAA Basketball. Chris also covers San Diego State men's basketball for East Village Times.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Baltimore Orioles were one of the more disappointing teams in the American League in 2025. They were dominant in 2024, but could not find that same status a year later.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-lands-guardians-coach-next-manager">Orioles recently hired Craig Albernaz</a> as their newest manager. Albermaz was a coach for the San Francisco Giants and the Cleveland Guardians for the last couple of years. Now, he will aim to get the Orioles back on track.</p><p>The offseason is still early, but the Orioles are completing their staff. On Wednesday, the <a href="https://x.com/afkostka/status/1993743011399004197?s=46" rel="noopener">Orioles made a shocking hire</a>.</p><p>Former San Diego <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/san-diego-padres/padres-news-mike-shildt-exiting-san-diego-his-terms-playoff-disappointment">Padres manager Mike Shildt retired</a> right after the 2025 season, which they lost to the Chicago Cubs in the NL Wild Card. There were many reasons for his sudden retirement, but a part of his decision remains true. When Shildt retired, he mentioned that the toll of the season and health issues caused him to retire from being a big league manager. He never said he wouldn’t get back into coaching, but he made it clear that, for at least right now, Shildt does not want to manage.</p><p>The Orioles are bringing in Shildt as an upper-level coordinator for the minor leagues.</p><p>“The Orioles are hiring former Padres manager Mike Shildt as their upper level minor league coordinator of instruction, source confirms. And Samuel Vega is the lower level coordinator.”</p><p>So, Shildt will continue not to coach, but will stay involved in the MLB by helping the Orioles build a stronger farm system. This job will be less stressful for Shildt and does not carry nearly the same weight as an MLB manager.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles hire ex-Padres manager Mike Shildt in surprising role

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-felix-bautista-baltimore-agree-new-contract');   ga('set', 'title', 'Felix Bautista, Orioles agree to new contract');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Felix-Bautista-of-the-Baltimore-Orioles-1.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Felix Bautista, Orioles agree to new contract</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-21T17:23:48-08:00">November 21st, 5:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-21T17:23:48-08:00">November 21st, 5:23pm</time><address><a>Benedetto Vitale</a>Benedetto Vitale is an avid sports writer who is an expert at covering the NFL, college football, NBA, and UFC. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a film degree but has since dedicated his career to sports writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After finishing the 2025 season with a disappointing 75-87 record, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-rumors-kyle-tucker-pursuit-still-table-taylor-ward-trade">Baltimore Orioles hope to improve the roster</a> for next year. With the common belief being that the club needs to improve the pitching rotation, it appears the front office is at least finding ways to maintain the bullpen by re-signing Felix Bautista.</p><p>Reports indicate that Bautista, who is 30 years old, is <a href="https://x.com/Feinsand/status/1991991586411213077" rel="noopener">signing a $2.25 million contract</a> to remain in Baltimore, according to MLB Insider Mark Feinsand. The 2026 campaign will be Bautista’s fourth with the Orioles.</p><p>“Felix Bautista and the Orioles agreed to a $2.25 million contract, per source.”</p><p>Unfortunately, Bautista experienced a torn rotator cuff and labrum in his right shoulder. The injury occurred in August and has a 12-month recovery timeline. That means Felix Bautista is set to miss a majority of the 2026 campaign. However, he should be on pace to return in the final stretch of the regular season.</p><p>Before sustaining the injury, Bautista was displaying another strong showing. Through 34.2 innings pitched, the veteran relief pitcher owned a 2.60 ERA and 1.125 WHIP while recording 50 strikeouts and 19 saves.</p><p>So, although the Orioles managed to bring Felix Bautista back, the front office will still want to find a replacement in the bullpen. Additionally, many are expecting this organization to make a potential move to acquire an upgrade in the starting rotation. Baltimore has a plethora of young talent, so a trade could be in the works. However, the team may wait and see how free agency plays out first.</p><p>Look for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-rumors-writer-door-open-adley-rutschman-trade-odds">Orioles to possibly be one of the busiest teams</a> this offseason. Especially considering 2025 was the first season in three years where Baltimore failed to reach the postseason.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Felix Bautista, Orioles agree to new contract

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-rumors-kyle-tucker-pursuit-still-table-taylor-ward-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles rumors: Why a Kyle Tucker pursuit is still on the table after Taylor Ward trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Kyle-Tucker-with-Cubs-2.jpg"><figcaption>David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Orioles rumors: Why a Kyle Tucker pursuit is still on the table after Taylor Ward trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-20T06:51:49-08:00">November 20th, 6:51am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-20T06:51:49-08:00">November 20th, 6:51am</time><address><a>Christopher Hennessy</a>Christopher Hennessy is a Senior Editor at ClutchPoints, with expertise in MLB, NHL and golf. Chris graduated with a journalism degree from Fordham University in 2022. He has also worked at Spectrum News One in Albany, New York and with The Hockey Writers as a New York Islanders writer. Chris is originally from Connecticut and is a lifelong New York Yankees, Islanders, and Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Baltimore Orioles made the first significant move of the MLB offseason, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-stories/orioles-angels-trade-grades-taylor-ward-grayson-rodriguez">trading Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels for Taylor Ward</a>. Bringing in Ward helps fill their need for a power-hitting outfielder. But The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon reported that Ward <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6822236/2025/11/20/mlb-offseason-kyle-tucker-orioles-angels-braves/" rel="noopener">will not stop</a> the Orioles from targeting Kyle Tucker in free agency.</p><p>“Pitching, both starting and relief, remains Baltimore’s top priority, according to sources briefed on the club’s plans. If the Orioles landed Tucker, they possibly could package [Colton] Cowser or [Dylan] Beavers with prospects to satisfy some of their pitching needs. Or, they could pursue other avenues. Their thinking would be: Make Tucker the anchor of a still-mostly youthful lineup, then figure out the rest,” Rosenthal and Sammons reported.</p><p>They also reported that the Orioles were not counting on much from Rodriguez in 2026 due to injuries, which maintains their need for a pitcher. The pitching market is not as robust as it was a year ago, however, when the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/diamondbacks-news-corbin-burnes-shocking-210-million-contract-arizona">Orioles lost Corbin Burnes to the Arizona Diamondbacks.</a> With Trevor Rogers at the top of the rotation, Baltimore needs more depth.</p><p>Tucker is the belle of the free-agency ball and will likely sign the richest deal of the winter. The Orioles have not been in the market for the richest deals in the league in recent years. That is why they traded Manny Machado and lost Burnes, for example. And with Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman needing new contracts soon, they will have to change their business model under new ownership to get Tucker.</p><p>The Orioles should prioritize pitching, with Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, and Tatsuya Imai as the top targets. They tried to solve their pitching with Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano last offseason to no success. They will need to spend this offseason to fix the problem. And Tucker would be the cherry on top.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles rumors: Why a Kyle Tucker pursuit is still on the table after Taylor Ward trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/mlb-stories/orioles-angels-trade-grades-taylor-ward-grayson-rodriguez');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles, Angels trade grades for Taylor Ward-Grayson Rodriguez swap');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Orioles-Angels-trade-grades-for-Taylor-Ward-Grayson-Rodriguez-swap.jpg"></figure><h1>Orioles, Angels trade grades for Taylor Ward-Grayson Rodriguez swap</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-19T08:18:06-08:00">November 19th, 8:18am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-20T06:52:50-08:00">November 20th, 6:52am</time><address><a>Christopher Hennessy</a>Christopher Hennessy is a Senior Editor at ClutchPoints, with expertise in MLB, NHL and golf. Chris graduated with a journalism degree from Fordham University in 2022. He has also worked at Spectrum News One in Albany, New York and with The Hockey Writers as a New York Islanders writer. Chris is originally from Connecticut and is a lifelong New York Yankees, Islanders, and Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels made the first significant trade of the offseason on Tuesday. Baltimore sent starting pitcher <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-land-angels-taylor-ward-grayson-rodriguez-trade">Grayson Rodriguez to Anaheim for outfielder Taylor Ward</a>. It is a one-for-one swap that puts Baltimore in a bind for free agency, but could lead to a bounce-back season. And what does this mean for Los Angeles’ offseason? Let’s find out in the Angels-Orioles trade grades.</p><h2><b>The Orioles put themselves in a pitching bind</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Grayson-Rodriguez-with-Orioles.jpg"><figcaption>Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Orioles won 100 games and snagged the AL East in 2023, and it seemed to be the beginning of a new era. Even after a playoff loss, they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-corbin-burnes-breaks-silence-shocking-trade-baltimore">doubled down on the roster and traded for Corbin Burnes</a>. But the ace walked in free agency after 2024, leaving a hole in Baltimore’s rotation. When Grayson Rodriguez went down for the year in spring training, it put Baltimore in a bind.</p><p>Now, after making this trade, the Orioles have a clear need for starting pitching. Trevor Rogers will be the ace after his 1.81 ERA in 15 starts. But behind him, Rodriguez was supposed to step up and be a number-two starter. Now, they head into a free agency with a dearth of pitching with a desperate need. If they can get Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, or Tatsuya Imai, this trade will look much better.</p><p>The Orioles did get Taylor Ward, a power-hitting outfielder from the Angels. Ward is a free agent after the 2026 season, while Rodriguez won’t hit free agency until 2029. But if new ownership is willing to spend, Baltimore can get better because of this trade. Ward has 61 homers and 178 RBI over the past two seasons for a middling Angels squad.</p><p>The Orioles get a <b>B </b>for now on the Rodriguez-Ward swap. If they end up signing an ace and extending Ward, this trade can bump up into the A range. But for now, it is a head-scratcher for a team that has not spent in decades.</p><h2><b>The Angels make the most of an expiring contract</b></h2><p>To get a controllable starter for an expiring outfielder is a strong move by the Angels. Would fans like them to spend to keep their middle-of-the-order bat? Of course, but that is not the reality for the Arte Moreno Angels right now. With Mike Trout on the decline and other rookie deals coming up soon, LA made the most of the situation with Ward.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/los-angeles-angels/angels-news-los-angeles-signs-yusei-kikuchi-63-million-contract">Angels signed Yusei Kikuchi last offseason to a three-year deal</a>. He had a solid first season in Anaheim, posting a 3.99 ERA in 33 starts. With Kyle Hendricks retiring and no one bursting through the minors to take a rotation spot, targeting Rodriguez was a strong move. And if they were not going to re-sign Ward, they got a great piece in return.</p><p>The biggest concern around Rodriguez is his injury history, as he missed 2025 with an elbow injury. But that is the reality for any starting pitcher in 2026, so it is worth the bet for the Angels. The future of the club is bleak as the lack of spending continues. But if they continue flipping near-free agents for solid players, they can maybe make a Wild Card run.</p><p>The Angels get an <b>A </b>for this trade, as they flipped a pending free agent for a controllable starter. Rodriguez is far from perfect, but he can become their number-two starter as soon as this season. Meanwhile, Ward was almost certainly out the door.</p><h2><b>Final Grayson Rodriguez-Taylor Ward thoughts</b></h2><p>The Orioles now have a lot of decisions to make in free agency. Ward should get re-signed after giving up such a valuable piece to land him. But they also need a pitcher. New owner David Rubenstein has a big winter ahead of him, or a promising core could slip into irrelevance once again.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles, Angels trade grades for Taylor Ward-Grayson Rodriguez swap

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-baltimore-land-angels-taylor-ward-grayson-rodriguez-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles land Taylor Ward in Grayson Rodriguez trade with Angels');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Taylor-Ward.jpg"><figcaption>Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Orioles land Taylor Ward in Grayson Rodriguez trade with Angels</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-18T19:56:34-08:00">November 18th, 7:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-18T20:09:34-08:00">November 18th, 8:09pm</time><address><a>Matty Breisch</a>Matty Breisch is a Senior Editor who specializes in NFL and WWE content at ClutchPoints. He can be read at Heavy, FanSided, The Needle Drop, Philadelphia Sports Network, and right here at ClutchPoints. Are you ready to read about football and wrestling? Well, you've come to the right place.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the MLB world grappled with which players <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/chicago-cubs/cubs-news-shota-imanaga-signs-qualifying-offer-chicago-despite-declined-options">did and didn’t pick up their qualifying offers</a>, the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels made a massive trade with serious 2026 ramifications, exchanging outfielder Taylor Ward and pitcher Grayson Rodrigues in a one-for-one swap.</p><p>Taking to social media to announce the move, ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1990989168420221242" rel="noopener">broke down the move</a> and why each team made it, highlighting the <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1990990186885312607" rel="noopener">very different outlooks for the two organizations</a>.</p><p>“Trade news: Taylor Ward is going to Baltimore, and Grayson Rodriguez to the Los Angeles Angels. The Orioles get the power-hitting outfielder they’ve been seeking, and the Angels get back a young arm. Quite a trade,” Passan wrote.</p><p>“Taylor Ward is a free agent after the 2026 season. Baltimore, which has been looking for pitching, gave up a 26-year-old in Grayson Rodriguez, who isn’t a free agent until after 2029. He also missed all of the 2025 season with arm issues and is coming off an elbow cleanup.”</p><p>Initially drafted in the 1st round of the 2015 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Cal State Fresno, Ward slowly but surely worked his way up the Angels’ system, making his major league debut in 2018. Over his eight years in Anaheim, Ward became a serious weapon at the plate for the Angels, hitting at least 100 balls in three seasons while reaching a new career-high in home runs, 36, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wardta01.shtml" rel="noopener">last season in just 157 games</a>.</p><p>Now heading to an Orioles team that largely underwhelmed versus expectations in 2025, if Ward can provide the power Baltimore has been missing at the plate, saying goodbye to a young, ascending pitcher will be worth the price of admission.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles land Taylor Ward in Grayson Rodriguez trade with Angels

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-rumors-writer-door-open-adley-rutschman-trade-odds');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles rumors: Writer leaves door open for Adley Rutschman trade despite ‘pretty low odds’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Writer-leaves-door-open-for-Adley-Rutschman-trade-despite-pretty-low-odds.jpg"><figcaption>© Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Orioles rumors: Writer leaves door open for Adley Rutschman trade despite ‘pretty low odds’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-18T11:06:09-08:00">November 18th, 11:06am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-18T11:06:09-08:00">November 18th, 11:06am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Could the Baltimore Orioles <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-ken-rosenthal-adley-rutschman-comments">trade Adley Rutschman this offseason</a>? One writer thinks there is little chance of that happening, but he admits it’s not zero.</p><p>The Orioles’ No. 1 overall draft pick in 2019, Rutschman made his MLB debut in 2022 and quickly established himself as Baltimore’s everyday catcher. And while he was a back-to-back All-Star the next two seasons, Rutschman was limited to 90 games in 2025, and he set career lows in nearly every statistical category during a season in which he had splits of .220 AVG / .307 OBP / .366 SLG.</p><p>For that reason, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com <a href="https://www.baltimorebaseball.com/sports/orioles-mlb/2025/11/18/odds-orioles-trade-adley-rutschman-mailbag-richdubroff/?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=odds-orioles-trade-adley-rutschman-mailbag" rel="noopener">believes there is</a> <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/3-best-adley-rutschman-trade-orioles-samuel-basallo-extension">a shot Rutschman is dealt</a> this winter.</p><p>“Rob, I think the odds that the Orioles trade catcher Adley Rutschman are pretty low,” Dubroff wrote in response to a fan’s mailbag question. “Had he not been subpar offensively for the last 1 ½ seasons, I’d say there was no chance he’d be moved.</p><p>“If they traded him, the Orioles would have to be <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-rumors-adley-rutschman-trade-expected-after-samuel-basallo-extension">convinced Samuel Basallo</a> could handle catching perhaps 120 games in 2026, and that’s a tall order for a 21-year-old with 31 games of big league experience.</p><p>I think the Orioles would want a top-tier starter who was at least two seasons away from free agency, and I think the price for that would be very high.”</p><p>Through his first three seasons in MLB, Rutschman earned 13.1 bWAR and tallied 52 home runs, 201 RBI, 215 walks, and 222 runs while boasting splits of .261 AVG / .351 OBP / .421 SLG / .772 OPS. During his fourth season, he suffered from a pair of oblique strains over the summer.</p><p>With or without Rutschman, the Orioles struggled; after back-to-back 90-plus-win seasons and playoff berths, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-biggest-disappointment-after-missing-mlb-playoffs">Baltimore managed to win just 75 games</a> and were eliminated from postseason contention in mid-September in 2025. The Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde, who had been with the team since 2019, on May 17 amid a 15-28 start to the season.</p><p>Rutschman, 27, will be under team control via arbitration again this offseason. Last winter, he and the team agreed on a $5.5 million deal to avoid arbitration. He is set to become a free agent in two years.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles rumors: Writer leaves door open for Adley Rutschman trade despite ‘pretty low odds’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/mlb-stories/mlb-rumors-red-sox-reds-orioles-names-as-mets-threats-for-pete-alonso');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Red Sox, Reds, Orioles names as Mets threats for Pete Alonso');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Pete-Alonso-1.jpg"><figcaption>Sam Navarro-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Red Sox, Reds, Orioles names as Mets threats for Pete Alonso</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-18T07:56:12-08:00">November 18th, 7:56am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-18T07:56:54-08:00">November 18th, 7:56am</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-encouraged-give-impending-free-agent-long-term-contract">conversation around New York Mets star Pete Alonso</a> and becoming a free agent, there is no doubt going to be a lot of teams that will try to go after the slugger. As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-juan-soto-sends-powerful-message-pete-alonso-mlb-free-agency">Alonso heads into free agency after being with the Mets</a>, there are a few teams that have been listed that could be top destinations.</p><p>In the latest column from MLB insider Jeff Passan of ESPN, he mentions the Boston Red Sox, the Cincinnati Reds, and the Baltimore Orioles as teams that could fit Alonso. Though Passan does not rule out the possibility of <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/46999006/mlb-2025-26-offseason-passan-predictions-free-agency-kyle-tucker-schwarber-alex-bregman" rel="noopener">returning with his original team</a> in New York.</p><p>“Alonso’s willingness to play designated hitter offers the sorts of avenues a first-base-only mindset wouldn’t,” Passan wrote. “He could stay with the Mets, move up to Boston, bring Cincinnati the big bat it desperately needs or, if Ryan Mountcastle is traded or nontendered, split the first-base and DH jobs in Baltimore with rookie Samuel Basallo, who will also spend plenty of time at catcher.”</p><p>Looking specifically into Boston, Bob Nightengale of USA Today would have a similar inkling, even going as far as to say that other general managers in MLB are “predicting the perfect landing spot” for Alonso being the Red Sox.</p><h2><b>Despite other teams, the Mets are still the prime spot for Pete Alonso</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Pete-Alonso.jpg"><figcaption>Jim Rassol-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-rumors-new-yorks-pete-alonso-meeting-went-well-but-orioles-twist">rumors around the Mets and Alonso will continue</a> throughout the winter until a deal is signed anywhere, there is also a strong prediction from many in the baseball world that he should stay in the Big Apple. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com would be one who says that Alondo is a<a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/free-agents-each-mlb-team-could-re-sign-for-2026?affiliateId=mlbapp-ios_webview_news-index&amp;rsid=mlbios.at.bat.new.implementation" rel="noopener"> “natura fit”</a> in New York’s lineup, as last season, he hit a .272 batting average to go along with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs.</p><p>“Alonso and the Mets are back in familiar territory, as the slugger returns to the open market after opting out of the final year of his contract,” Feinsand wrote. “The club’s all-time home run leader, Alonso is a natural fit in the Mets’ lineup, though his return might depend on the length of contract he’s seeking this time around. If he’s looking for more than four years, he may have to find it elsewhere.”</p><p>It remains to be seen where Alonso ends up, as there’s no denying that fans of each team mentioned would love to have the 30-year-old.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

MLB rumors: Red Sox, Reds, Orioles names as Mets threats for Pete Alonso

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/mlb-rumors-why-orioles-are-labeled-a-wild-card-kyle-tucker-suitor');   ga('set', 'title', 'MLB rumors: Why Orioles are labeled a ‘wild card’ Kyle Tucker suitor');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Kyle-Tucker_8be6c2.jpg"><figcaption>David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>MLB rumors: Why Orioles are labeled a ‘wild card’ Kyle Tucker suitor</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-10T07:55:57-08:00">November 10th, 7:55am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-10T07:55:57-08:00">November 10th, 7:55am</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/mlb-rumors-orioles-most-aggressive-team-pitching-offseason">rumors swirling about moves the Baltimore Orioles</a> can make in the offseason, the player in scope is star outfielder Kyle Tucker. After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-biggest-disappointment-after-missing-mlb-playoffs">the Orioles missed the playoffs,</a> the team is looking to revive its chances of getting back to the postseason with a huge step in the right direction: the acquisition of Tucker.</p><p>The idea of Baltimore being the next destination for Tucker stems from the latest reporting of Patrick Mooney, Will Sammon, Katie Woo, and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. They would write that an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6792919/2025/11/10/mlb-kyle-tucker-free-agency-teams/" rel="noopener">“under-the-radar”</a> team that could go after Tucker is the Orioles, based on what some within the MLB believe.</p><p>“When asked for an under-the-radar team that could end up engaging with Tucker, two executives from different organizations suggested the Orioles,” The Athletic wrote. “A separate league source said the Orioles are open to pursuing a premium bat, both in terms of price and production.”</p><p>There’s no doubt that Tucker will be a hot name in free agency after playing with the Chicago Cubs last season, leading to Baltimore having some convincing to do. <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2025/11/10/mlb-free-agency-trade-rumors-gm-meetings/87190324007/" rel="noopener">One other team that could go after him</a> is AL East rival Toronto Blue Jays, per Bob Nightengale.</p><h2><b>The interest that the Orioles have in Kyle Tucker</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Cubs-outfielder-Kyle-Tucker-vs-Brewers-in-Game-4-of-NLDS.jpg"><figcaption>David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-craig-albernaz-first-statement-new-baltimore-manager">Orioles are now led by manager Craig Albernaz</a>, acquiring Tucker could show that the team is ready to get back to prior success, like in 2023 or 2024, when the team won around 100 games. The Athletic would continue to write that it is “unknown” if Baltimore has interest in Tucker since they have other needs, but the reporters would note down a “familiarity” that the star has with the ball club.</p><p>“However, whether the Orioles hold a specific interest in Tucker is unknown,” The Athletic wrote. “Also, Baltimore has other needs. For example, they should focus on a top-of-the-rotation starter. And they must rebuild virtually their entire bullpen (though they got a head start on that by acquiring Andrew Kittredge).”</p><p>“Still, the Orioles should hold plenty of motivation after a disappointing season,” The Athletic continued. “Also, there’s an element of familiarity; Baltimore president of baseball operations Mike Elias drafted Tucker when Elias worked as the Astros’ scouting director. If Tucker prefers a quieter location, perhaps Baltimore should not be ruled out.”</p><p>Last season, Tucker had a .266 batting average to go along with 22 home runs and 73 RBIs IN 136 games as he could potentially look to bounce back with Baltimore, who had a 75-87 record.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Anthony
Nunez

Latest Related Team News

Orioles’ Ryan Helsley signing may have just changed everything

Orioles, Ryan Helsley agree to $28 million contract in free agency

Orioles rumors: Baltimore could boost rotation with Tatsuya Imai signing

Orioles rumors: Dylan Cease Blue Jays deal add pressure to land starting pitching

Orioles hire ex-Padres manager Mike Shildt in surprising role

Felix Bautista, Orioles agree to new contract

Orioles rumors: Why a Kyle Tucker pursuit is still on the table after Taylor Ward trade

• Orioles, Angels trade grades for Taylor Ward-Grayson Rodriguez swap

• Orioles land Taylor Ward in Grayson Rodriguez trade with Angels

• Orioles rumors: Writer leaves door open for Adley Rutschman trade despite ‘pretty low odds’

• MLB rumors: Red Sox, Reds, Orioles names as Mets threats for Pete Alonso

• MLB rumors: Why Orioles are labeled a ‘wild card’ Kyle Tucker suitor

Anthony Nunez

Latest Related Team News

Orioles’ Ryan Helsley signing may have just changed everything

Orioles, Ryan Helsley agree to $28 million contract in free agency

Orioles rumors: Baltimore could boost rotation with Tatsuya Imai signing

Orioles rumors: Dylan Cease Blue Jays deal add pressure to land starting pitching

Orioles hire ex-Padres manager Mike Shildt in surprising role

Felix Bautista, Orioles agree to new contract

Orioles rumors: Why a Kyle Tucker pursuit is still on the table after Taylor Ward trade

• Orioles, Angels trade grades for Taylor Ward-Grayson Rodriguez swap

• Orioles land Taylor Ward in Grayson Rodriguez trade with Angels

• Orioles rumors: Writer leaves door open for Adley Rutschman trade despite ‘pretty low odds’

• MLB rumors: Red Sox, Reds, Orioles names as Mets threats for Pete Alonso

• MLB rumors: Why Orioles are labeled a ‘wild card’ Kyle Tucker suitor

Anthony
Nunez